Day Of The Virgin Of Guadalupe
Mexico City

Day Of The Virgin Of GuadalupeThis is one of Mexico's most important religious occasions in honour of Mexico's Patron Saint, which takes place throughout the country, although is particularly impressive within Mexico City, home to the Basilica of Our Lady Of Guadalupe where there is a shrine in her honour, making this one of the most important Catholic pilgrimage sites in the country.

The shrine and church were built close to where as legend has it, in 1531 the Virgin of Guadalupe appeared to peasant Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin on Tepeyac Hill, Mexico City and instructed him to build a shrine on the site where she appeared, the proof of the apparition came when an image of the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe was left on his cloak after he had picked some roses to take back to try to convince the Bishop of the time that the apparition was real. It is this image, site and shrine that pilgrims visit throughout the year and especially so during the Day Of The Virgin Of Guadalupe.

There are quite simply thousands of devotees making a pilgrimage to the site during this time with many arriving on the 11th in readiness for the celebrations to attend mass and to pay there own respects and often carrying images or statues of the Virgin to be blessed.

There are plenty of musicians and dancers performing during the festival as a way of showing there appreciation and gratitude to the Virgin Of Guadalupe.

In the early hours of the 12th people will traditionally attend church for mass bringing flowers, gifts, singing songs, lighting candles and saying prayers which is often followed by plenty more celebrations with firecrackers playing a prominent feature in starting off the celebrations often followed by colourful street parades.

Date Of Day Of The Virgin Of GuadalupeThis religious event is celebrated annually on the 12th of December.

LocationThe Day Of The Virgin Of Guadalupe is celebrated throughout much of the country and is particularly impressive within Mexico City.

Travel GuideMexico City is very accessible by bus and car from many cities as well as by plane to Mexico City International Airport (MEX) also known as Benito Juárez International Airport, which has links to many other major cities both domestic and international. The Basilica is easily reached by bus, car, taxi or Subway to La Villa Basilica station which is about a mile away from the Basilica.